Injection molding apparatus



April 24,1945.

F. VON OPEL INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS Original Fil ed Dec. 21, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 v April 24, 1945;

INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 21, 1940 '6 Sheets-Sheet 3 27 V00 OPEL.

F. VON OPEL 2,374,468

April 24,1945. Y F. VON OPEL 2,374,468

INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS 39 0 23 [liven April 24, 1945. 'F. VON OPEL ,37

INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS Original Filed Dec. 21, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 27 v bye/L251:

Fen-z Van 01 54 Patented Apr. 24, I945 INJECTION MOLDING APPARATUS Fritz von Opel, New York, N. Y.; vested in the Allen Property Custodian Original application December 21, 1940, Serial No. 371,188. Divided and this application August 5, 1941, Serial No. 405,458 v 6 Claims. (Cl. 1830) This invention relates to an apparatus for in-- jection molding of plastic or plasticised material,

and in particular of thermoplastic materials, such as cellulose acetates, polyvinyl-and acrylate res ins and polystyrenes.

This application is a division of my copendin application Ser. No. 371,188, filed December 21, 1940.

In injection molding methods and apparatuses of this type, the material to be injected is plasticised, in one part of the machine or process, and

ing the clamping plates in their closed position. To this efl'ec't power driven bolts provided with screw threads were connected with one of the clamping plates and engaged screw threaded nuts provided on the other clamping plate when the mold was closed. By turning those screw threadinjected under suitable pressure into mold cavities formed in two plates or sections facing each ,other. One of these sections is removably mounted on a stationary clamping plate which is rigidly connected with a cylinder in which the solid and preferably powdery initial moldable material is being heated to plasticising temperature. A reciprocating piston is arranged within that stationary cylinder and injects at its forward stroke the plasticised material through suitable channels into the mold cavities, while at its back stroke suilicient spaceis given to feed a preferably measured quantity of 'moldable material into the stationary cylinder.

The other one of the two sections provided with the mold cavities is removably mounted on a movable clamping plate; by reciprocating the latter -plate, the mold is opened and closed. When closed, the plasticised material is injected into the cavities of the closedmold sections; when opened, the molded and solidified finished product 'can be removed or the mold sections exchanged.

For reciprocating the movable clamping plate,

toggles, hydraulic or other power driven means,

it. While the plasticised material is injected, it

exerts pressure upon the mold cavities from within. Cleavages between the mold sections givin cause to flashes of the injected material occurred however with mechanical means for reciprocating the movable clamping plate with the mold section thereon, if the toggle-joints began to. wear out during use. If hydraulic or other power means were used, they had to he dimensioned so that the mold sections were tightly pressed toether and flashes prevented while pressure from within was exerted upon them, while the power needed for opening and closing the mold is considerably smaller. Even with such high power' drives flashes couldnot always be avoided, and it ed bolts the clampingplates were pressed against each other and held so during the injection process proper. However, those screws were operated while the mold was closed and the cooperating surfaces 01' the screw threads on the bolts and of the nuts were turned while underhigh and still increasing pressure. This made them wear rather soon, and considerable power was needed to turn them in order to finally exert the desired clamping pressure.

' With injection machines heretofore known,

changing from one kind of material to another,

in particular from one color to the other was quite difllcult. The injection cylinder had to be cleaned thoroughly before a new kind of plasticised material could be used. According to' the invention, the injection cylinder or at least part 'of it is made movable so that one cylinder can be replaced by another one during operation and even during one cycle of the machine.

It is therefore an object or the invention to increase the efliciency and reduce the cost of operating and maintaining such an apparatus.

It is a further object of the invention to shorten the time needed for each cycle.

It is a still further object, of the invention to reduce the wear of the mechanism or power drive for the injection plunger.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide separate power means or mechanism for effecting the more idle portion of the stroke of the injection plunger and its power portion.-

It is another object of the invention to reduce stresses in the frame structure caused by the injection pressure.

duce' stresses in and wear of the machine, by adfacilitate change of material lusting the pressure in a, fluid used to operate certain parts of the machine to individual requirements. It is a still further object of the invention to to be injected, in particular during a cycle of operation.

It is a still further object of the invention to wassuggested to use additional meansfor lock-P 1 a s e c an eable cylinder-s01 parts-thereof.

- machine.

It is still a further object of the invention to improve the uniform heating of the material to be injected and to shorten the period of time needed for its plastiflcation.

It is still another object'of the invention-to heat the material to plastlilcation temperature and keep it plasticized without overheating and deteriorating it.

It is still a further object of theinvention to improve the ejection means for the molded units. and thereby further to shorten the cycle of operation.

These and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood when the specification proceeds with reference to the drawings in which by way of exempliflcation Fig. 1 shows a vertical cross section with parts in elevation, Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line III-III in Fig. 1; Fig. 4- is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line IV-IV in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along line VV in Fig. 4, Fig. 6 a' horizontal cross section with parts in elevation along line VI-VI in Fig. 1. Fig. 'l a cross section with parts in elevation along line VlI-V1I in Fig. 1, Fig. 8 a vertical cross section on a larger scale, with parts in elevation. through the injection cylinder, Fig. 9 a cross sectionv with parts in elevation along line IX-lX in Fig. 8, Fig. 10 a crow section with parts in elevation taken along line X-X in Fig. 8, Fig. 11 is an enlarged vertical cross section through parts of the closed mold sections. Fig. 12 a vertical cross section with parts in elevation through a modification of the injection cylinder, Fig. 13 an elevation partly in section through a modification of the mounting of several injection cylinders,

Fig. 14 a plan view partly in section along line XIV-XIV in Fig. 13, Fig. 15 a plan view and Fig.

'16 a vertical cross section along line XVI-XVI in Fig. 15 of a stripping ring used for the injection plunger in Fig. l, and Figs. 1'! and 18 in vertical cross section modifications of the pressure deviceJor clamping the mold sections.

Identical reference numbers in different figures indicate similar parts. 1

Referring to Fig. l, I. is a horizontal base plate,

on'which vertical columns or tie-rods H, II are,

mounted. In this exempliflcation of the invention, the columns consist of tubes for the purpose to be described later on. It should be understood that instead solid rods can be used. oranycast orforged uprights integral with orconnccted in ahv suitable way with the base plate "to r t-m the frame of the machine. i i A clamping plate It is fixedly or adjustablyf mounted on tubes II. I! by means o1 screws 18 A mold section It is secured to the stationary clamping plate i3 in an exchangeable manner, e. g. by means of a suitable number of bolts H the heads of which are positioned in recesses l8 5 of moldsection l6. Mold cavity parts 20 of any desired shape are provided in mold section It and connected through influx channels 2| with an I influx opening 22 on top of mold section I and positioned within a cylindrical bore 23 of clamp- 10 mg plate l3.

Another mold section 24 is provided with the v complementary parts 25 of the mold cavities, individually aligned with the cavity parts 20.

Mold section 24 is: removably mounted on a 1 piston or plate 28 in a similar way as section It on clamping plate l3, e. g. by bolts (not shown).

Piston or plate 26 of sufllcient strength substi tutes the second clamping plate as heretofore used in machines of this type. Piston 26 is arranged 20 within and liquid tightly contacts the upper cylindrical portion 28 of avessel 21 which is preferably semispherical. If the heightof the circumferential running surface of piston 28 contacting portion 28 does not suflice for properly 25 guiding the piston and to prevent jamming, the

running surface can be elongated bycylindrical projections provided on top and/or bottom of the piston. Piston 26 and the cylindrical inside surface of portion 28 are either ground exactly to 30 measure, as is assumed in Fig. l, or piston 26 may be provided with elastic piston rings for this purpose. Instead and as shown inFig. 17, portion 28 and piston 26 may be provided with circumferential grooves 29 and 30, respectively, and the edges of a cuff 3| of leather or any other suitableresilient material liquid-tightly clamped into those grooves. It is also possible to liquid-tightly fasten, e. g. weld a resilient metal membrane 34 to the inside-portion .28, as shown in Fig. 18, to

49 mount a clamping plate 35 on the membrane and to connect therewith removably mold section 28. Vessel'2'l and piston 28 or membrane 24 are preferablyoperated by means of a non-compressible fluid though also a gaseous 'fiuidcould .be used. Their function is principally hydraulic, and they will be referred to hereinafter and in the appended claims as hydraulic means.

1 Lugs 38, Figs. 1 to 5, are arranged on the outside of portion 28 and provided with cylindrical holes :1.

Each hole 31 is provided with two sets of projections 38, arranged opposite to one another, each set covering a little less than 90. Bolts or pins 39 are rotatably mounted coaxially with the cylindrical holes 31 in clamping plate l3.

The bolts or pins 39 project downwardly and upwardly beyond plate l3, and their downwardly projecting portions are each provided with two sets of projections 40 at opposite sides, each of the projections covering a little less than The projections 38 and 40 are so arranged that upon pushing lugs 38 'over'the downwardly pro-- jectlng portions of pins, the projecting sets as I. pass the spaces between the projecting sets 22, and upon subsequent turning the bolts or pins about 90, each projection 40 passes under' and contacts and juxtaposes projections '38.

thus effecting a multiple bayonet connection of,

Is. Instead, lugs can be provided on plate It, "rmttstreutn.

through which uprights l l l2 pass. In abutment *ontheuprightsbelowthe lugs-and anut screwed y 1 on the uprights from above onto the lugs, or other "uine of liquid contained in the latter which is wellknownmeansforholdingplate liflrlnlyin' position;

'Itwillbe appreciated that the position 0': pi!- ton 28 relative to vessel 21 depends on the volkcnt as constant as possible by means of device u. v The latter is connected through tube u and and meshes with the toothed wheels 4|.

. 2,824,468 return valve 88 with the space inside vessel 21.

If some liquid leaks out between piston 26 and cylindrical portion 28 of vessel 21, a corresponding amount of liquid is supplied from vessel 64, either byactuating the piston shown on top of the liquid in that vessel, orby the action of a weight or spring resting on that piston. Thus, when vessel 21 is being lifted into its uppermost position, piston 28w'ill always have a-definite position relative to that vessel.

on piston 28 and clamping plate I3 exchangeable mold sections are mounted the thicknesses. of which vary. Therefore, if vessel 21 and piston 26 are lifted, they will stop at various distances from clamping plate I3. The .minimum combined thicknesses of mold sections I8 and 24 determine the uppermost position of piston 28 and its minimumdistance fromclamping plate I3. Projections r flanges and cooperating projections 38 should be arranged in such a manner that all the flanges 40 engage all of the projections 38 when piston 28 and thereby vessel 21 and portion 28 are stopped in their uppermost position, as defined above. If the mold sections are thicker, only a part of flanges 40 can engage a corresponding part of projections 38. The number of those projections and their surface areas should be such that they in any event can safely sustain the pressures exerted upon them during operation in any relative position of the hydraulic pressure means relative to clamping plate I3.

The number of relative positions of the hydraulic pressure means relative to clamping plate I3 corresponds obviously to the number of levels r in,which flanges 40 are arranged on pins 39. If

the combined thicknesses of the cooperating mold sections require a position of the hydraulic means relative to clamping plate I3 intermediate between those levels determined by the number of flanges, metal sheets can be inserted between a mold section and the clamping plate and/or a mold section and piston 28 so as to compensate for lack of thickness. It will be appreciated however that there is no necessity for the mold sections to contact each other in any of the relative positions of the hydraulic pressure means and clamping plate I3; as will be seen later on when the operation of the invention is described, piston 26 is raised within vessel 21.when pressure is exerted upon the fluid within that vessel .whereby the mold sections are brought in contact even if they had been slightly spaced from one another previously.

Instead of arranging flanges 48 and cooperating projections 38 in planes vertical to the axis of pins 39, they can be arranged individually in any other desired plane, such as a helical plane coaxial with the pins 39.

On the upper ends of pins 39 toothed wheels 4I (Fig. 6) are secured which rest upon the upper surface of clamping plate I3. The contacting surfaces of the wheels and clamping plate may be ground so as'to minimize friction; lubrication (not shown) can also be provided. Wheels H are turned while no load rests on the flanges 48 so that the power required for rotating the wheels and the friction caused thereby are practically negligible.

A ring 43 toothed on its'outer periphery 44 is turnably arranged on top of clamping plate I3 I Arm 48 is connected or made integral with ring 43' and joined by link 48 with piston rod 41 and piston 48 which is slidably arranged within a cylinder 49. By admitting a fluid under pres sure, i. e. oil or air, through tube 58, piston 44 will be moved so as to turn ring 43 a predetermined angle, while by admitting the pressure fluid through tube 5|, piston 48 and ring 43 will be returned to their initial position. Suitable abutments 52, 53 may be provided, preferably in an adjustable way, to limit the motion of arm 45.

It will be appreciated that by rotating ring 43 in one or the other direction, all the pins 39 are rotated in unison and their projections 48 It will further be appreciated that any of the pins 39 can be pushed upwardly in plate I3 when the mold is open, until uppermost flange 40 contacts the lower surface of plate I3, giving more free access to the bottom of plate I3 for exchanging, or cleaning mold section IS. The gears 41 and 43 are disengaged and re-engage in such upand downward movement of a pin 38.

On the lowerside of vessel 21 a cylinder 54 is mounted, the bottom 55 of which is supported by and connected with rod 58 which in turn is secured to piston 51. A pressure cylinder 58 is mounted on base plate In and piston 51 slidably arranged in it.

Forks 59, 60 provided on portion 28 slidably engage the uprights Il, I2. Thus vessel 21 is guided on the uprights and also by piston 51 in cylinder 58. sufiicient height and strength sliding on uprights II, I2 can be rigidly mounted in the forks 59, 60.

In cylinder 54 a piston 8| is arranged on which a pin or rod 62 is mounted which passes through a stuffing box 83 into vessel 21. r

A'fiexible tube is connected on one end with an inlet in the bottom 85 of cylinder 54 and on the other end through a three-way valve Y 68 and an adjustable reduction valve 88 with the hollow space in tube I2. r

Cylinder 58 is open on the top and connected near its bottom through tube 18, three-way valve H and tube 12 with a source of fluid under pressure which may be the same as used for actuating e. gnpiston 8|.

Above bore 23 0f clamping' plate I3 an injection cylinder 13 is arranged'having a bottom 14 shaped to form a nozzle 15. The injection cylinder is mounted in an arm 18 which is rotatable and slidable on upright or tube I I.

The injection cylinder serves the purpose of heating a charge of moldable material to plasticising temperature and discharging the plasticised material under pressure into the mold cavities. For this purpose, injection cylinder 13, Figs. 8 to 10, is provided with an upper space I28 within lining I31 for receiving a charge of powdery moldable material, such as thermoplastic material of the kind referred to above, and into which fits injection plunger 90. Space I28 may be surrounded by an outside cooling jacket (not shown).

Below space I28 a heating zone for the moldable material is arranged. According to the invention, this zone is formed by a structure easily disassembled for cleaning'purposes and comprising a number of tubes 11, 18 and 18 which in this exemplification of the invention are arranged coaxially with a center piece I243. The tubes and center pieces are used asheating ele- Ring shaped bronze bearings of ments and engage at their lower ends circular recesses 84 formed in a bottom plate 83 which is clamped between the reduced end 82 of cylinder I3 and a circular seat 83 formed inside bot,- tom piece I4. A cross bar 85 is arranged on top of the tubes and center piece and provided with recesses 86 engaged by the upper ends or those tubes and center piece. The cross bar is insulated from cylinder 13 by insulating washers 81,

- e. g. of mica. Conductor 88 provided with terminal 32 on its outer end passes insulatingly through cylinder I3 and is electrically connected nected with cylinder 13 at any suitable place. Preferably bottom piece 14 is insulated from cylinder I3 by means of a circular insulation I24.

It will. be appreciated that by connecting a source of electrical current (not shown) with terminals 32, 33, electric current will be passed through cross bar 86 and in parallel through the tubes and .center piece engaging the former, and through bottom plate to cylinder 13. By suitably dimensioning the cross sections of the heating elements formed by the tubes and center piece and properly choosing the conductive material of which they are made, furthermore by adjusting the voltage of the electric current applied to terminal 32, 33, it is possible to heat the tubes and center piece individuall to any desired temperature. In particular, the tempera- .tures of the tubes and center piece can be made with cross bar 85. Another terminal 33 is conoutside to the inside or viceversa. The current also passes cylinder 13 and heats it to a temper- It will be further observed that the charge' filled into space I26 and forced by the injection plunger entering said space into the spaces between the tubes, the center piece and cylinder desired maximum plasticising temperature of the material of the layers. Whereas in injection cylinders of known structure this difference was relatively great and thereforewas apt to burn or.ruin the material of poor heat conductivity at least in outside strata when contacted by the heating elements for too long a time, this danger is avoided by the structure accordingto the invention, because the maximum temperature of tained with other arrangements of the tubes or heating elements than exemplified in Figs. 8 to 10. Thus, for instance, thetubes can be arranged eccentrically and the material forced through the individual tubes and/or around them. In general any arrangement of heating elements within the heating zone of the injection cylinder covers the idea underlying this invention by which the moldabe material of poor heat conductivity passing the heatingzone is subdivided into layers or strands of sufliciently small thickness and contacts exposed heat conveying surfaces of such relatively large area that heat can quickly penetrate into the layers and substantially uniformly heat them to the desired plasticising temperature, without overheating or ruining outside strataeven if the material is exposed to such heat for a long time.

Bottom plate 80 is provided with a suitable I number of oblong or circular holes 8| as large In order to avoid undesired cooling of the plas- I3, is thereby subdivided into circular layers contating the heating elements over large surface areas and the cross section of which depends upon the distances between the tubes, tube 19 and center piece I23, and tube 11 and cylinder I3. By proper choice of the number of tubes which can be increased or reduced, any desired thickness of those layers can be obtained] The smaller that thickness, the faster will the heat conveyed to the layers from the contacted heated tubes, etc., penetrate into those layers, and the faster will the material of poor heat conductivity comprised by those layers be plasticised.

The thinner these layers are, the smaller should be the thermal gradient from the heating elements formed by the tubes, etc. to the material to be piasticised, and the smaller ma be the difference between the higher temperature of the heating elements and the final temperature to which the material of the layersis to be heated.

Taking thermoplastic materials as mentioned above, they should be heated to about 320 to 400 I". By proper choice of the thickness of the layer of the material and by making the exposed heat conveying surfaces of the heating elements as large as possible, the temperature of the latter is made higher by only afew degrees than the and wide as possible to allow the plasticised ma- I terial to pass into space I38 within bottom piece 'ticised material in space I38, the latter may also be heated. To this effect a lining I25 oi electrically conductive material of desired composition may be placedon and insulated from the inside surface of bottom piece I4, and electrical terminals (not shown) connected with the lining on opposite sides thereof. Electric current from the same source (not shown) as applied to the terminals 32, 33 may also be fed through'flexible conductors to lining I25 and the latter thereby heated to a desired temperature, in general equalling or by a few degrees exceeding the plasticising temperature of the material forced into space I38. It'should be understood that the metallic bottom piece 14' could be used as a heating element, if desired, and lining I25 then be omitted.

There is also provided a container or hopper SI, Fig. 1, for a supply of moldable material to be fed through connecting tube or channel 92 into the space I26 within lining I3! of the cylinder above cross bar 85. Inside hopper 9| feeding means, such as a propeller, are provided and driven intermittently, e. g. by an electromotor, in order to feed predetermined and preferably ad- .iustable amounts of moldable material into the cylinder space I26. These feeding means, their drive and timed control are conventional and therefore not shown in the drawing.

Above cylinder 13, Figs. 1 and 2, a plate 93 is arranged and slidably guidedon the uprights or tubes II, I2.

on plate 93 a cylinder 94 is mounted in which piston 95 is reciprocating, which is connected with injection plunger 98.

Cylinder 94 is closed on top by cover 96 which is provided with lugs 91 to which pairs 96 and 99 of toggle links are hinged. The other pairs of links I and IOI of each toggle are hinged to lugs I02 and- I03, respectively, provided on cross bar I04 which is rigidly connected with the upper ends of tubes II and I2.

The spaces of cylinder 94 above and below piston 96 are connected by channels I05, I06

with a three-way valve I01 which in turnis connggted with tube II by means of a flexible tube A sleeve I09 is rotatable around tube II and rigidly connected with arm 16 and passes through the left-hand hole 01 plate 93; between the upper end of sleeve I09 and plate 93 a ball bearing III is arranged. Thus arm 16 can rotate relative to plate 99 and tube II, and is taken along by plate 93 when the latter is lifted and lowered.

Another arm III may be connected with arm 19, as will be seen from Figs. 1, 2, and '7, on which another cylinder II2 preferably, similar to cylinder 13 and provided with aninjection nozzle I I3, is mounted.

Between the joints H6 and H8 of the toggle links 90, I00 and 99, IOI,-respectively, a mechanism for stretching and breaking the toggles is provided. In the exemplification shown in Fig. 1, a piston rod H4 is hinged to joint 5 and attached at its other end to piston I I6 which is slidventional and therefore not shownin thedrawously maintained in tubes II, I2 by means of a pump I24.

, This apparatus operates in the following way:

At the start of a cycle the mold is open and mold section 24 within vessel 21, cylinder 54 and piston 51 are in their lower-most position. Injection cylinder 13 with nozzle 15, plate 93, in-

jection plunger 90 and its driving piston 95, and

cylinder 94 are in their uppermost position, as

shown in Fig. 1.

Now a fluid under pressure, such as oil or compressed air, is admitted through valve 1I into cylinder 58 and thereby piston 51, cylinder 64 and vessel 21' are lifted as close as possible to clamping plate I3, as described above in more detail.

The area of piston 51 and the pressure in the fluid admitted to cylinder 58 are so measured that the weight resting on piston 51 is lifted quickly. It should be observed, however, that no clamping pressure is to be exerted by piston 51 at any time, and consequently the area of piston-51 and/or the pressure in the fluid can be relatively small; just suflicient to raise the weight resting on piston 61 within a desired period of time. p

Now fluid under pressure, such as oil, or compressed air, is admitted through tube 50, Figs. 1, 2 and 6, to cylinder 49 and piston 48 completes ts forward stroke quickly, thereby turning the toothed ring and all the bolts 39 simultaneous y a little more than 90. Thereby the projectin flanges 40 on bolts 39 are turned into the recesses Fluid under pressure such as oil is continubetween proiectlons II in lugs 96 arranged on the outside of upper portion 28 of vessel 21 (Figs. 1, 2 and 6), and lock vessel 21 to clamping plate I3. It should beobserved that this locking motion is eflected while no clamping pressure is yet exerted upon the mold sections I6, 26; consequently little power is needed for rotating ring 48 and bolts 39 and very little wear of the cooperating parts is caused.

After vessel 21 and clamping plate I3 have been thus locked, fluid under pressure, such as oil, is admitted through valve and tube 61 to the lower side of piston II in cylinder 64, raises the piston and thereby the rod or pin 62. The latter is pushed into vessel 21' which is filled with a suitable preferably non-compressible fluid, such as oil, and displaces the latter to the effect of exerting a pressure upo'n piston or plate 26 and therebyon mid section 24 mounted thereon, resulting in the desired clamping pressure between mold sections 24 and I'6.-

It will be appreciated that the pressure exerted upon the unit or area of plate or piston. 26 depends upon the displacement of the .oil in vessel 21 by the pushed-in pin 62. The latter is cylindrical with a horizontal top, and it is evident that the pressure for pushing in the pin depends upon the area of this horizontal top and its relation to the pressed upon area of piston 6i, while any pressure exerted upon the cylindrical circumference of the portion of pin 62 projected into vessel 21 is balanced in itself.. From this it appears that relatively high pressure upon the total area of piston or plate 26 can be exerted by relatively small pressures upon the lower side of piston 6| connected with pin 62. Due to the fact that the pressure exerted by pin 62 upon the fluid in vessel 21 is equally distributed to all sides through the non-compressible fluid, any desired total pressure can be exerted upon piston or plate 26 and thereby mold section 24 in order to tightly clamp mold sections I6 and 24 and to prevent It will be observed that vessel 21 dueto :its preupperside of clamping plate I3. No reaction forces are, however, conveyed to base plate I0 or tie rods ll, I2. Cylinder i4 is rigidly mounted A on vessel 21 and the pressure of the fluid introduced into cylinder 64 below piston 6I acts solely between thelatter, the cylinder 64 and its bottom 65.

No reaction forces resulting'from the clamping pressure are conveyed either to piston 61 and cylinder 69, thus completely relieving the frame structure of the machine of any positive orreact'ion forces bringing about the desired clamping pressure between the mold sections.

Although a semispherical or cup-like shape of of piston III. Thereby the toggles 99, I00 and position nozzle 16 is pressed into inlet 22. In-

order to avoid excessive pressure between the contacting surfaces of the nozzle and the inlet. preferably resilient'abutments I2I are provided on the side wall of opening 23, on which the shoulder I22 of the bottom piece 14 cylinder I3 comes to rest. I a

According to the invention either one and the same injection cylinder I3 is used in subsequent cycles, or two or more such injection cylinders 'are used alternatively, or in predetermined rotation. In any case, at any time after injection plunger 96 has been withdrawn from space I26 of the injection cylinder, and before the injection plunger enters again that space in its injection stroke, a new charge of powdery moldable material is to be fed into space I26. For this purpose, a propeller or other feeding means within hopper or container 9| associated with that space I26 is operated for a predetermined time so as to feed a measured quantity or charge of powdery moldable material into that space. This can be done by switching in and out an electric motor for driving the propeller at preferably adjustable speed for a preferably adjustable period of time, as is well known in the art and need not be described lndetail.

While vessel 21 is being locked to clamping plate I3 by turning the bolts 39 and immediately thereafter pressure is applied to plate 26 so as to tightly clamp mold section 26 against mold section I6, fluid under pressure, such as oil, is

admitted through valve IllI into cylinder 94 above piston 95, so that the latter is pressed downwardly and moves injection plunger 90 into the space I26 of cylinder I3. Thus plunger 96 starts to compress the new powdery material filled into space I26 just after the mold sections have been be thus injected into the mold cavities, or only part of it; if an extremely large quantity of material is to be injected, also part of the new material just previously fed into-space I26 may thus be injected after having passed the heating zone and being thus plasticised.

. A's pointed out above, the temperatures to which the heating elements I2 to 19 and I23, also cylinder. 'I3 and bottom piece ll and its lining I26, if any, are heated can be adjusted so as to avoid any danger of overheating plasticized material within the heating zone of the injection cylinder and its nozzle, and they both actually work as means for plasticising the charge or charges and storing the plasticized charge at proper temperature for any subsequent use.

It will further be appreciated that the idle up andjown motion of injection cylinder 13 is due to the particular objectand feature of the iii-" vention that exchangeable injection cylinders are used. If this object is not to be answered, cylinder 13 can permanently be kept in its lowermost position by the stretched toggles.

Instead of the hydraulic apparatus III to I", any other well known means for stretching and breaking the toggles can be used, such as an electromagnet, a reversible electromotor, and even manual operation is possible, as well known in the art and therefore not to be described and shown in detail.

'In any case, the power required for actuating the toggles or other lifting and lowering means used instead, is relatively small and results inplasticized material, is produced by injection pi'ston 90 which is actuated by a'source of energy and means other than those operating the toggles or other means for lowering and lifting the injection cylinder.

As indicated in Fig. 5, a plurality of injection cylinders," may be arranged turnable around upright II Each cylinder is provided with an individual feeding means'and thus material either of the same or of different kinds can be fed into the various cylinders. If an excessive amount of material is to be injected into the mold cavi- 30 ties, and plasticising of material fed into space I26.is not sufficient, or if parts of the space of the cavities is to be filled first with one kind of material and thereafter their remaining space with I another kind of material, the following method is used. Cylinder I3 is withdrawn after the amount of plasticised material contained therein is injectedto fill part of the cavity spaces, by'lift perature distortion point. Plunger 96 is kept under pressure until additional plasticised material compensating for such shrinkage is injected into the mold cavities and the plastic material completely filling the mold cavities has cooled below its temperaturev distortion point.

It will be appreciated that while this high pressure rests on the material within the cavitiesand tends to separate the mold sections, any such 60 separation is counteracted by the high clamping pressure produced within vessel 21 by pin 62 in its uppermost position and translated to the mold sections. Relatively little force is to be exerted upon piston 6I to maintain this high pressure, the

6 reaction forces of which are translated by lugs 36 and bolts 39 directly to clamping'plate I3, thus relieving the frame structure from almost all such reaction forces,

In order to further reduce and more equally distribute the total clamping pressure required, the contacting surface areas of the mold sections should be reduced as far as possible. To this effect, the individual cavities of at least one of the mold sections end in projecting rims I62 and/or I33, Fig.

below the temperatures corresponding to its tem-' 11, the contacting surface areas of those rims being as small as the compression strength of the material of the sections safely permits, while the adjacent areas I53 are somewhat withdrawn. Y

.The reaction forces caused by Operating the injection plunger acting through the charge in space I26 upon the plasticised' material and the exposed upper surface of rings 11 to and cross bar 05, are translated through inlet 22 upon mold section I6 and in part through the resilient abutments 'I2I upon clamping plate I3, and the latter translates them to the uprights II, I2 towhich the toggles are hinged which keep cylinder 94 in place during injection proper. By subdividing the plasticised material. into layers or strips of relatively great vertical height compared with their horizontal areas, it is possible to reduce the latter considerably. In the same way the exposed upper surface areas of the heating elements andcross bar 85 can be reduced to a relatively small size (and rounded off (streamlined)). Thereby also the horizontal area of plunger 90 can be reduced to a minimum size. Due to the effective and rapid heating of the subdivided layers or strips, they plasticise quickly and their friction on the heating elements and otherwise is considerably reduced, so that the force for operating the mold sections, as is well known in the art. Fig.

11 indicates such cooling channels I54 As cooling medium faucet water or artificially cooled water, or a refrigerant, such as a refrigerated brine, can be used in order to shorten the cooling period.

After the injected material is cooled and solidifled the fluid under pressure below piston 6| is released through valve 60, and piston 6I lowered immediately by action of gravity. If desired, fluid under pressure can be admitted above piston 6| to accelerate its downward movement. Thereby the pressure on the fluid within vessel 21 is released instantaneously, and mold section 24 separates slightly from mold section I6 by action of gravity upon mold section .24 and piston 26. It

should also be considered that by withdrawin pin 62, the upper level of the fluid within vessel 21 retreats from plate 26, causing a kind of vacuum below the plate whereby the atmospheric pressure resting on plate 26 comes into' play, as-.

sisting separation of the mold sections and lowering of plate 26 upon the retreated level of the fluid in vessel 21.

If for one reason or the other the mold sections stick together, additional power means can be provided to separate them.

After the clamping pressure has been released in the way just described, fluid under pressure is admitted through tube 5| into cylinder 49 in front of piston 48, while the fluid at the other side of piston 48 is released through the tube 50. Thereby piston 48 returns into its initial position and rotates ring and thereby bolts 39 so as to disengage the flanges 40 from the projections 38.

It will be appreciated that this return rotation of the .pins and flanges and wheels connected the fluid under pressure, admitted to cylinder 58 for lifting vesesl 21, etc., is released through valve 1I when flanges 40 are completely disengaged from projections 38. Though the weight of vessel 21 and the parts connected therewith will sumce for its prompt and fast lowering and this may be assisted, if desired, by providing a closure for the top of cylinder 58 and admitting fluid under pressure into the latter above piston 51 in its uppermost position. This is understood by anybody skilled in the art and therefore does not need detailed showing in the drawings.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the inlet of tube 10 in cylinder 58 is arranged at some distance from and above the bottom of the cylinder. As soon as piston 51 on its downward stroke passes below the inlet opening, the air in the cylinder below piston 51 will be compressed and, act like a cushion in decelerating and finally stopping piston 51 with all the parts connected therewith.

As soon as the material injected into the mold cavities is solidified, piston 95 can be raised by admitting fluid under pressure through valve I01 and tube I06 and releasing the fluid on the other side of piston 95 through tube I05 and three-way valve I01. Thereby injection plunger is withdrawn into its upper position. Simultaneously with or immediately following this withdrawal of plate 93, arm 16 and cylinder 13 lifted to their uppermost position.

If an exchange of cylinder 13 by-cylinder I I2 is desired, arms 16 and III can now be swung around upright II.

Thereby a cycle of operation of the machine is completed, the mold is open and the molded and solidified articles can be removed by ejecting and stripping-off means well known in the art.

It will be appreciated that exchange of .mold sections can now be easily performed because preferalbly only two uprights are used as illustrated, leaving free and wide access to the mold sections from both sides of the machine.

In order to effect ejection, it is preferred to use a compressed fluid, such as air. To this effect, the mold cavity in which the molded solidified article lies after the mold sections are separated, is provided with a bore I21, Figs. 1 and 11, ending in an oblique seat I28. Within th-e bore, a ring I29 provided witha great number of perforations I30 is arranged through the center bore of which stem I3I of a valve passes; the head I32 of the valve is seated on seat I28 and provided with an outer exposed surface completing the shape of the mold cavity '25. A collar I34 is provided at the lower end of stem I3I and a helical tension spring I35 is arranged between the collar and plate, I 29, tending to keep head I32 seated. I

A channel I36 in mold section 24 opens into the bore I21 below ring I30. It should be understood that all the cavities inmold section 24"are provided with ejection means of the same type, and channel I36 branches off to all the bores of those ejecting means. A fluid under pressure,

such as air, is supplied through a flexible tube and the mold sections are separated, compressed air is admitted through channel I36 to bore I21, acts upon the lower side of head I32 and raises the latter, whereby it is permitted to penetrate between the lower side of head 432 and the seat I28 into the mold cavity. By raising head I32 and the subsequent influx of air under pressure into the mold cavity, the, article contained therein is lifted and thrown out. It can now .be removed by stripping means well known in the art. confined to vertical machines butcan equally be applied to, e. g. horizontal machines, it will be appreciated that in the latter case the thus thrown-out articles will fall downwardly out of the machine by action of gravity and no stripping means are needed.

It is within the object of the invention to reduce heavy moving masses, and therefore a movable injection cylinder may be subdivided in the way shown in Fig. 12. Arm I6 is assumed as fixedly connected with upright II, and an injection cylinder I39 with nozzle I49 and provided with heating elements inside as described albove, is movably held in a bore I4I of arm I6. Cylinder I39 is provided with a collar I42, and a helical tension spring I13 tends to keep cylinder I39 in its uppermost position.

The injection plunger 99 projecting from cylinder 94 through plate 93, is surrounded by a sleeve I49. Since the invention is not 15 In operation, cylinder 94 and plate 93 are lowered the same way as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Thereby sleeve I44 strikes collar I42 and presses the latter together with cylinder I39 downwardly against the action of 0 driven shaft. The speed of the shaft can be-ad-' spring I43 until nozzle I49 is in its lowermost position within bore I23 of the stationary clamping plate I3. Thereafter injection plunger 99 is operated downwards the same way .as described above, enters the upper space of cylinder I39 and injects the plasticized material contained therein through nozzle I49.

New material can be fed into cylinder I39 by an individual feeding means of the type and arranged in the same way as hopper 9| shown in Fig. 1; for simplicitys sake. Those feeding means are omitted in Fig. 12. i

.It is also possible to arrange a plurality of injection cylinders I39, I39 on a slide I45, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14. The slide is movable on cross bars I46, I41 fixedly mounted on the uprights II, I2. While one cylinder, e. g. I39, is in alignment with bore 23, theother one, e. g. I39 is moved sidewardly. Thus it is possible to feed material into cylinder I39 from a hopper 9| through discharging chute I48. Another feeding means 9i,

pre-measured quantity of moldable material from hopper 9|.

When plunger 99 is withdrawn from space I29, Figs. 1 and '6, material adhering to its circumference should be stripped off. To this effect a stripping ring can be provided as shown in Figs. 15, 16. The ring is composed of a plurality of sectors I49 contacting with their inner circular surfaces the plunger 99 and being pressed against it by means of a circular compression spring I59. An L-shaped ring I5l is mounted on the upper end of cylinder I3 and covers the spring ring I59 and part of the upper side of sector Ring I5I is preferably somewhat spaced from the spring and sectors and merely serves to prevent their falling off from cylinder I3.

It should be understood that the supply of oil or like fluid under pressure through the hollow pillars II, I2 is only a preferred feature of the invention. Instead any separate tube or'conduit can be arranged.

It should also be understood that timed tuming or moving of arms I6, III and slide I45 can be effected by power means such as described and shown for turning ring '49 or actuating the toggles. d

It should be further understood that timed and preferably adjustable actuation of valves 68, II and IN, andof the valves or other means for admitting and releasing fluid under pressure to. cylinders 49 and III as well as admitting fluid under pressure to channel I36, furthermore intermittent actuation of the power driven means for feeding the powdery moldablematerial into the spaces I26 and shifting arms I6 and III, can be effected byautomatic control means, such as well known and-therefore not shown, electrical timing arrangements comprising e. g. one or more preferably exchangeable cams on a motor By adjusting reduction valve- 69 the total clamping pressure exerted by the hydraulic pressure means can be regulated so as to meet'the requirements ofeach individual case which improves the efliciency of the invention.

It powdery moldable material is open end of an injection cylinder after the injection plunger has been completely withdrawn,

as illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14,. feeding chutes of considerably larger cross section than shown I49 can be arranged on the other side, as shown in Figs. 13, 14, containing the-same or a different in the drawings, so that cylinder I39 comes under chute I48 and the filled cylinder I39 under plunger 99. In the next following cycle the mate rial contained. in cylinder I39 is injected by can be used, andit should be understood that also with arrangements as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and. even with a single or stationary injection cylinder this method 'of feeding fresh material into the 'open end of an injection cylinder can be applied to advantage.

Instead of passing the heating current through tubes 11 to I9, etc., in Figs. 8, 9, separate heating elements can be associated with the latter, or a coil carrying an alternating and particularly high frequency current arranged around and outside of cylinder I3, to effect induction heating of the latter and the tubes whereby electrical insulations within the cylinder and for leading-in conductors can be dispensed with.

plunger 99, while cylinder I39 is filled with a 76 The separate power driven means 51, 99 for fed into the.

reciprocating the hydraulic pressure means 26, 21, operate obviously and advantageously with relatively small power over a long stroke while the hydraulic means operate with relatively great power over a very short stroke of plate 26, and the .latter will hardly move at all when pressure is applied to it. 7

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular exemplification and the other one, associated with said second plate, compression means associated with the reciprocating plate, a member movable to and from the side of the first plate opposite from the reciprocating plate, power means for moving the member toward and from the first plate, a plunger slidably mounted on the member, 'a second power means mounted on the member to cause the v plunger to reciprocate toward and from the first plate, an arm pivoted on the member and an injection cylinder on the arm for movement into registry between the plunger and the first plate.

2. An injection molding machine comprising, in combination, a stationary clamping plate provided with an injection channel, a reciprocating clamping plate at one side of said. first plate, cooperating mold sections between said plates, one of said sections associated with said first plate and communicating with said injection channel and the other one associated with said second plate, compression means associated with the reciprocating plate, an injection cylinder and cooperating injection plunger mounted tor 'conjoint sliding movement toward and from the oppositeside 01' said first plate, said cylinder comprising a space for receiving moldable material, an injection nozzle and a heating zone in between. a pivoted arm for supporting said cylinder relative to said first plate in various positions includscribed in claim 2, a perforated plate on one end and a member exemplified by a crossbar at the other end of said heating zone, said heating elements held in place by said plate and member within said heating zone.

4. An injection molding machine substantially comprising, in combination, a stationary ciamping plate provided with an injection channel, a

second reciprocating clamping plate atone side 01' said first plate, cooperating mold sections between said plates, one of said sections associated l with said first plate and communicating with said injection channel and the other one associated with said second plate, compression means 3350-,

ciated with the reciprocating plate, at least one injection cylinder having an injection nozzle and a cooperating injection plunger at the side of said first plate opposite said reciprocating plate, said injection cylinder being arranged to be moved laterally relative to said first plate and injection plungerinto various positions in one of which said nozzle communicates with said injection channel, said plunger arranged to reciprocate in a path aligned with said injection channel and saidmovable injection cylinder in its said communicating position so as to enter and completely leave said cylinder.

5. In an injection molding machine as defined in claim 4, means for reciprocating said injection plunger toward and from said clamping plates and turning means for said movable injection cylinder comprising an. arm supporting said I cylinder and oscillatably carried by said plunger reciprocating means.

in: that in which said nozzle communicates with said injection channel, said heating zone formed substantially by electrical heating elements within and extending substantially coaxially with said movable cylinder and comprised =0! removable tubes substantially conaxial with said movable cylinderso astotormnarrowpassagcs orlarge surface development communicating with said spaceandnocale. 1

'3.lnaninjectionmoidingmachineasde- 6. An injection molding machine comprising in combination, a fixed clamping plate provided with an injection channel, a movable clamping plate mounted adjacent said first plate, cooperating mold sections between said plates, one of said sections being associated with the fixed ptate and communicating with said injection channel, comadapted to enter the rear end oi-the cylinder'on its advancing stroke and to leave the cylinderon its return stroke. and means for feeding moldable material into the open end of the cylinderwhen the armis swung away from the plunger.

j VON OPEL.

thecylinder. ior registration with said injection channel. in advance of the plunger, said plunger being 

